Nestable container

ABSTRACT

A tray is nestable within identical trays when empty for efficient storage and shipping. A pair of supports or bails can be pivoted to a position over the floor of the tray so that a similar tray can be supported thereon. The supports are supported on multiple points on each side wall of the trays, so that the load is distributed more evenly to the side walls.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/379,370, filed Sep. 1, 2010.

BACKGROUND

Nestable trays with pivotable support arms are well known. Generally,the trays are nestable within one another when empty for efficientstorage and shipping. A pair of supports or bails can be pivoted to aposition over the floor of the tray so that a similar tray can besupported thereon. In this manner trays can be stacked when there aregoods stored in the trays.

Some trays having supports that are movable to more than one height, sothat the trays can be stacked more efficiently when they are onlypartially full. In some of these multi-height trays, the supports areonly supported on a single thickness wall, which may not be sufficientunder a stack of fully-loaded trays.

SUMMARY

A tray according to one embodiment of the present invention includes abase wall and a plurality of walls extending upward from the base.Supports are pivotable between a nesting position, where an identicalcontainer can be nested in the container, and a stack position, where acontainer can be stacked on the container. The supports are supported onmultiple points on each side wall of the trays, so that the load isdistributed more evenly.

In another, optional feature, at least one support has a support bar andprojection defining a first support recess between the projection andthe support bar. One of the corner edges adjacent the elongated recessof an identical container receivable in the first support recess on thesupport bar when the identical container is stacked on the container

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray according to one embodiment ofthe present invention with the supports in the nesting or home position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the supports of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the support of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the support of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side view, partially broken away of the tray of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the tray of FIG. 1 with the supports ina high stack position.

FIG. 7 is a side view, partially broken away, of the tray of FIG. 6 withan identical tray stacked thereon.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the tray of FIG. 1 with the supports ina mid-stack position.

FIG. 9 is a side view, partially broken away, of the tray of FIG. 8 withan identical tray stacked thereon.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the tray of FIG. 1 with the supports ina low stack position.

FIG. 11 is a side view, partially broken away, of the tray of FIG. 10with an identical tray stacked thereon.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the tray of FIG. 1 with an identicaltray nested therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A nestable container 10 according to one embodiment is shown in FIG. 1.The container 10 generally includes a base wall 12, opposed side walls14 and opposed end walls 16. A support 18 (or bail) is pivotably andslidably mounted to the side walls 14 adjacent each end wall 16. Theside walls 14 and end walls 16 each include an upper wall portion 20 anda lower wall portion 22. The upper wall portions 20 of the side walls 14each include an outer wall portion 24 and an inner wall portion 25,spaced inwardly from the outer wall portion 24. The outer wall portion24 is spaced outwardly of the lower wall portion 22 to form a lip alongthe periphery of the container 10.

An upper support surface 40 is formed in the inner wall portion 25adjacent each end wall 16. A lower support surface 42 is formed belowand outward of the upper support surface 40. A middle support surface 41is formed between the upper support surface 40 and the lower supportsurface 42.

The support 18 is pivotable and slidable among a plurality of positions,including the home/nest position shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 12,in the home or nest position, an identical container 10′ can be nestedfully in the container 10 (i.e. the lower wall portion of the uppercontainer is fully or nearly fully received within the side walls 14 andend walls 16 of the lower container 10).

The support 18 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 2-4. As shown, thesupport 18 includes a support bar 26 connected at each end to one end ofa support arm 28. The opposite end of each support arm 28 includes apivot pin 30 protruding outwardly and a first projecting portion 32projecting laterally relative to the support arm 28 and the support bar26. A second projecting portion 33 proximate the pivot pin 30 projectsgenerally in the same direction as the first projecting portion 32,although to a lesser distance. A recess 34 is defined between the firstprojection portion 32 and the second projection portion 33. The supportbar 26 has an elongated dovetail projection 36 extending substantiallyalong the length of the support bar 26, but not completely to the arms28. The dovetail projection 36 is oriented with the narrow end againstthe support bar 26, giving the support bar 26 a keyhole shapedcross-section.

As shown in FIG. 5, each pivot pin 30 is slidably and pivotably receivedin an elongated opening 48 slanted downwardly inwardly in the outer wallportion 24. In FIG. 5, the support 18 is shown in the nest or “home”position. In the home position, the support bar 26 is received on lowerouter support surfaces 44, outward of the lower portion 22 of the endwall 16 and outward of the base wall 12 (FIG. 1), such that the lowerportion 22 of the side walls 14 and end walls 16 of an identicalcontainer 10 could be nested in the container 10. In this position, thehinge pins 30 are slid to a mid-position in the opening 48.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, the support 18 is pivoted and slid to a high stackposition. Referring to FIG. 7, the first projecting portion 32 issupported on a secondary support surface 43 on the side wall 14. Thesupport bar 26 is supported on the upper support surface 40, whichrotates the dovetail projection 36 toward the interior and downward ofthe container 10 (approximately 7 or 8 o'clock). The support bar 26 isreceived partially in a lower channel 50′ in an underside of the base12′, generally toward an interior side of the channel 50. An edge of thechannel 50′ is received in the recess between the dovetail projection 36and the support bar 26 thereby further improving the support of theupper container 10′. In this position, the base 12′ of the uppercontainer 10′ is at a maximum distance from the base 12 of the lowercontainer 10, thus providing the most volume for goods within thecontainer 10. The weight of the upper container 10′ and its contents isdistributed by the support 18 to both the upper support surfaces 40 andthe secondary support surface 43, as well as to the outer wall portion24 below the pivot pin 30 and the elongated opening 48. The secondsupport surface 43 is inward of the support bar 26, and the pivot pin 30is outward of the support bar 26, providing triangulated distribution ofthe load on the support bar 26.

Referring to FIG. 7, a rear secondary support surface 52 is defined on aprojection formed between the outer wall portion 24 and the inner wallportion 25 below the elongated opening 48.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, the supports 18 are moved to a mid-stack position.Referring to FIG. 9, the support bars 26 are supported on the middlesupport surfaces 41, while the tapered projections 36 are rotateddownward. The rear secondary support surface 52 is received in therecess 34 of the support 18 between the first projecting portion 32 andthe second projecting portion 33. Thus, the load from the uppercontainer 10′ is distributed to the middle support surfaces 41 and fromthe second projecting portion 33 to the rear secondary support surface52, as well as the outer wall portion 24 below the pivot pin 30 and theelongated opening 48.

Again, the support bar 26 is received in the channel 50′ of the uppercontainer 10′, although positioned in the middle of the channel 50′. Inthe mid stack position, the volume for storage in the lower container 10is reduced, so that medium size items (or a medium number of items) canbe shipped or stored in containers 10 efficiently.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, the supports 18 are moved to a low stack position.Referring to FIG. 11, the support bars 26 are supported on the lowersupport surfaces 42, while the pivot pins 30 are supported by the loweredges of the openings 48 in the outer wall portions 24. Although thesupport only contacts two support surfaces on the lower container 10,rather than three as in the high stack position and the mid stackposition, the support bar 26 is at the bottom of the opening formed inthe inner wall portion 25 while the pivot pin 30 is at the bottom of theelongated opening 48 in the outer wall portion 24, which improves thestrength.

Again, the support bar 26 is partially received in the channel 50′ ofthe upper container 10′, although toward an exterior edge of the channel50′. The exterior edge of the channel 50′ of the upper container 10′ isreceived in the recess between the support bar 26 and the dovetailprojection 36, thus improving stability. In the low stack position, thevolume for storage in the lower container 10 is reduced, so that smalleritems (or fewer items) can be shipped or stored in containers 10efficiently.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes andjurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are consideredto represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it shouldbe noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than asspecifically illustrated and described without departing from its spiritor scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A container comprising: a base wall; a pair ofside walls and a pair of end walls extending upward from the base wall,the walls nestable within side walls and end walls of an identicalcontainer; and a support having a support bar movable between a nestingposition where the support bar is outward of the base wall to permitnesting and a stack position over the base wall to permit stacking,wherein the support includes a projecting portion supported on one ofthe side walls inward of the support bar when the support is in thestack position.
 2. The container of claim 1 wherein the support bar issupported on a support surface of the side wall when the support is inthe stack position.
 3. The container of claim 2 wherein the supportincludes a pair of pivot pins pivotably and slidably connected to theside walls, wherein the pivot pins are outward of the support bar whenthe support is in the stack position.
 4. The container of claim 3wherein the pivot pins are pivotable and slidable within elongatedopenings in the side walls, the elongated openings angled downwardtoward an interior of the container.
 5. The container of claim 4 whereinthe elongated openings are straight.
 6. The container of claim 3 whereinthe support includes a pair of arms extending from the support bar, thepivot pins proximate one end of the arms and the support bar at anopposite end of the arms, wherein the projecting portion is a firstprojecting portion, the support further including a second projectionportion, the first and second projecting portions projecting from atleast one of the pair of arms between the pivot pin and the support bar.7. The container of claim 6 wherein the stack position is a high stackposition, and wherein the support is moveable to a second stack positionlower than the high stack position and wherein the second projectingportion contacts the one of the side walls in the second stack position.8. The container of claim 1 wherein the stack position is a high stackposition, and wherein the support is moveable to a second stack positionlower than the high stack position and wherein the support contacts theone of the side walls at three separate points including the supportbar, a pivot pin and a contact surface on the support other than thesupport bar and the pivot pin.
 9. The container of claim 8 wherein thesecond stack position is a mid-stack position, the support furtherincluding a low stack position lower than the high stack position andthe mid-stack position, wherein the pivot pins are pivotable andslidable within elongated openings in the side walls, wherein the pivotpins are at one end of the elongated openings when the support is in thelow stack position.
 10. A container comprising: a base wall, anelongated recess defined on a lower surface of the base wall, a firstcorner edge defined adjacent the elongated recess; a pair of side wallsand a pair of end walls extending upward from the base wall, the wallsnestable within side walls and end walls of an identical container; andat least one support having a support bar movable between a nestingposition where the support bar is outward of the base wall to permitnesting and a stack position over the base wall to permit stacking, thesupport including a projection defining a first support recess betweenthe projection and the support bar, one of the corner edges adjacent theelongated recess of an identical container receivable in the firstsupport recess on the support bar when the identical container isstacked on the container.
 11. The container of claim 10 wherein theprojection on the support also defines a second support recess betweenthe projection and the support bar, wherein a second corner edge isdefined adjacent the elongated recess opposite the first corner edge,and wherein the second corner edge adjacent the elongated recess of thebase wall of the identical container is receivable in the second supportrecess.
 12. A container comprising: a base wall; a pair of side wallsand a pair of end walls extending upward from the base wall, the wallsnestable within side walls and end walls of an identical container; anda support having a support bar movable between a nesting position wherethe support bar is outward of the base wall to permit nesting, a firststack position over the base wall to permit stacking at a first height,and a second stack position over the base wall to permit stacking at asecond height, wherein the support includes a pair of arms extendingfrom the support bar at one end and having pivot pins at an oppositeend, each arm including first and second projecting portions between thepivot pin and the support bar, wherein the first projecting portion ofeach arm is supported on the side walls when the support is in the firststack position, wherein the second projecting portion of each arm issupported on the side walls when the support is in the second stackposition.